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SYNERGY: Va-LEND and Genetic Counseling Working Together

Overview

SYNERGY is a three-year project rooted in Va-LEND and growing to strengthen the lives of children with neurodevelopmental disabilities through enhanced awareness of genetics. This is a collaborative effort between the Va-LEND Program, Partnership for People with Disabilities, and the Genetic Counseling Program, Human Genetics, VCU School of Medicine. The purpose is two-fold:
1) to improve the integration of the genetic component of health and well-being into leadership training programs nationally, and 2) to prepare a diverse workforce of genetic counselors capable of teaming with other health care professionals to provide leadership in serving children with special health care needs and disabilities.

Major Activities

The project will:

• Support genetic counselor training in leadership and disabilities
• Enhance multicultural recruitment to LEND training
• Disseminate learning modules in genetic awareness, family history and newborn screening
• Provide a focus of enhancing the genetic component of LEND nationally

Contact

Janet Willis at (804) 828-0073, jwillis@vcu.edu